This invention relates to an improved shipping package for a relatively bulky and heavy object, such as a furniture unit.
Numerous bulky and heavy objects are factory preassembled, appropriately packaged, and then shipped frequently by truck to a location for installation and use. The packaging for the object often involves corrugated containers or trays used in association with various inserts, typically plastic foam inserts which are capable of providing cushioning and are shaped to conform to the specific object, with the overall package also often frequently being appropriately banded, such as with plastic shrink wrap. During shipping and handling, however, the packaged objects are often treated quite roughly, and are often vertically stacked on top of one another either when in the warehouse or when contained in a transport such as a truck trailer, and thus most manufacturers experience significant damage to at least a significant number of shipped articles.
Further, most of the packaging containers used for bulky and/or heavy objects require customized inserts as well as exterior cartons or trays so as to accommodate the specific size and configuration of the object, and hence the number of different individual packaging elements which must be inventoried so as to accommodate a wide variety of shapes and sizes thus greatly increases the overall complexities and costs associated with the packaging operation.
The problem of product damage incurred during shipping is particularly of concern in the office furniture industry since office furniture products are generally wholly manufactured and in most cases substantially fully assembled at the factory, and are then packaged and shipped to the purchaser, who expects the product to arrive in a non-damaged or non-marred condition since the product will be used in an exposed environment, namely an office environment. The packaging and shipping problem in the office furniture industry is further complicated by the fact that many standard furniture components are manufactured in a significant variety of sizes which may involve the same product being sold in a wide variety of depths, heights or the like. Packaging which can accommodate different product designs, and the significant sizes within each design, has thus required that the manufacturer maintain a large number of different packaging components so as to accommodate the wide variety of styles and sizes of products.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved shipping package which is particularly desirable for use in shipping a relatively heavy object or unit of significant size, which improved shipping package provides increased protection and load carrying capability relative to prior known shipping packages utilized for such objects, is adaptable to various forms and modifications of the object or unit being shipped so as to minimize the number of different shipping package components required, and overcomes or at least minimizes many of the disadvantages associated with prior shipping packages utilized for shipping units of this type.
The improved shipping package is designed specifically for accommodating an object of significant size and weight, more specifically a box-like object which in the preferred embodiment comprises a furniture unit and more specifically a drawer-type storage unit. The shipping package includes substantially identical top and bottom trays which respectively extend over the top and bottom ends of the furniture unit, and a set of four corner posts which embrace the vertically extending corners of the furniture unit and have opposite ends engaged with the trays to permit vertical load transfer therebetween, such as when a plurality of packages are disposed in vertically stacked relationship, to prevent the stacking loads from being transmitted through the furniture unit. The corner posts comprise elongate L-shaped members which are hollow in cross-section and are relatively rigid to permit transmission of vertical stacking loads therethrough. The lower tray mounts therein an improved load-bearing insert structure which includes two inserts, each formed from a one-piece corrugated fibre-board blank, with the inserts being secured within the tray and having raised flat upper surfaces which are in load-bearing engagement with the bottom frame of the furniture unit. The inserts also have appropriate recesses for accommodating legs or casters provided on the furniture unit. The top tray also has a pair of shock-absorbing inserts, such as of honeycomb material, secured therein and disposed in supportive engagement with the upper surface of the furniture unit. The entire shipping package is appropriately secured, such as by plastic stretch wrap and plastic banding.
The improved shipping package of the present invention, including objects and purposes thereof, will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.